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Chief medical officer

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Chief medical officer (CMO) is the title used in many countries for the senior government official designated head of medical services, sometimes at the national level. The post is held by a physician who serves to advise and lead a team of medical experts on matters of public health importance.[1]

The post of chief medical officer dates back to Victorian times.[2] The equivalent title may go under different names across countries, for example, the Surgeon General in the United States and the Chief Public Health Officer in Canada.

By extension, chief medical officer is also used as a job title, for the physician who is the professional lead of all physicians at a hospital.[3]

By country

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Australia

[edit]
This section is an excerpt from Chief Medical Officer (Australia).[edit]

The Chief Medical Officer is the principal health advisor to the Australian government. The position is a medical appointment, reporting to the Departmental secretary for the Department of Health and Aged Care.[4] The position is responsible for the Office of Health Protection which itself has responsibility for biosecurity, immunisation and disease surveillance. The position is also responsible for "maintaining high-quality relationships between the department, the medical profession, medical colleges, universities and other key stakeholders". Other responsibilities of the position vary according to the skills and background of the officeholder.[4] The position was created in November 1982 because the newly appointed Director-General of Health was not a doctor.[5] The position is an advisory in nature and does not have executive or operational authority.[6]

As of 22 October 2024, the Chief Medical Officer is Tony Lawler,[7] who succeeded Paul Kelly.

As of 23 January 2021, the joint Deputy Chief Medical Officers were Nick Coatsworth, Ruth Vine and Michael Kidd.[8] In May 2020, psychiatrist Ruth Vine was appointed the first Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health.[9]

Previous officers include John Horvath in 2003,[10] Jim Bishop in 2009,[11][12] and Chris Baggoley from August 2011[13] until 2016. The role has recently been focused on immigration and related health issues, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The position is head of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee[14] and in that role an adviser to the National Cabinet of Australia, created in response to the pandemic.[15]

In June 2024, former Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Nick Coatsworth admitted he had not had a COVID vaccine for two years and stated he would not be getting any more vaccinations for the virus.[16]

Canada

[edit]
This section is an excerpt from Chief Public Health Officer of Canada.[edit]

The chief public health officer of Canada (CPHO; French: administratrice en chef de la santé publique; ACSP)[note 1] is the lead health professional and primary spokesperson on public health related matters for the Government of Canada. The chief public health officer provides advice to the minister of health and the president of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), works in collaboration with the agency president in the agency's leadership and management, and works with other departments and levels of government on public health matters. PHAC, along with the CPHO post was established in 2004 amidst the SARS crisis.[17]

The third and current chief public health officer of Canada is Theresa Tam, who was appointed in June 2017.[18]

Ireland

[edit]
This section is an excerpt from Chief Medical Officer (Ireland).[edit]

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) (Irish: an Príomh-Dhochtúir Oifigiúil) for Ireland is the most senior government advisor on health-related matters. It is a government post as the lead medical expert in the Department of Health.

The key responsibilities of the CMO include providing expert medical evidence, especially in public health matters, as well as leading on patient safety issues, emergency planning and other areas.[19]

United Kingdom

[edit]
This section is an excerpt from Chief Medical Officers (United Kingdom).[edit]

In the United Kingdom, a chief medical officer (CMO) is the most senior government advisor on matter relating to health. There are four chief medical officers in the United Kingdom who are appointed to advise their respective governments:

Each CMO is assisted by one or more deputy chief medical officers, and complemented by a chief nursing officer.

The chief medical officer is a qualified medical doctor whose medical speciality traditionally was public health medicine, and whose work focused on the health of communities rather than health of individuals. More recently, some appointees have been senior clinicians without training in public health medicine. In the UK, the CMO is one of the chief professional officers who advise the government in their respective health and social care disciplines.[21] The CMO has independent statutory authority, first established in the 19th century, to issue reports without requiring government approval.[22]

United States

[edit]
This section is an excerpt from Surgeon General of the United States.[edit]

The surgeon general of the United States is the operational head of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government of the United States. The surgeon general's office and staff are known as the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG), which is housed within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.[23]

The U.S. surgeon general is nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The surgeon general must be appointed from individuals who are members of the regular corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and have specialized training or significant experience in public health programs.[24] However, there is no time requirement for membership in the Public Health Service before holding the office of the Surgeon General, and nominees traditionally were appointed as members of the Public Health Service and as surgeon general at the same time. The surgeon general serves a four-year term of office and, depending on whether the current assistant secretary for health is a commissioned corps officer, is either the senior or next-most senior uniformed officer of the commissioned corps, holding the rank of vice admiral.[25][26]

Notes

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  1. ^ When the position is held by a male, the French title is administrateur en chef de la santé publique.

References

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  1. ^ Department of Health, UK. Chief Medical Officer. Accessed 19 Jan. 2012.
  2. ^ "History of the post of Chief Medical Officer". UK Department of Health. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  3. ^ "Find an expert". Birmingham Children's Hospital. Archived from the original on 2017-05-16. Retrieved 2017-04-13. Fiona was the clinical lead in PICU until 2010 when she became the Deputy Chief Medical Officer. In 2015 she became Chief Medical Officer, which is the professional lead for the doctors at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
  4. ^ a b Schulz, Amber (16 April 2020). "The man behind the eyebrows: just who is Brendan Murphy?". Crikey. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  5. ^ Carlton, Jim (23 November 1982). "Top management changes in the Department of Health" (PDF). parlinfo.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  6. ^ Brew, Nigel; Burton, Kate (16 November 2004). "Australia's capacity to respond to an infectious disease outbreak". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 15 June 2020. The CMO does not have an executive or operational role in relation to managing health issues, and contrary to how the role is sometimes understood, the Office does not appear to be entirely independent from the Commonwealth Government.
  7. ^ "Chief Medical Officer". Department of Health and Aged Care. Australian Government. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Our medical experts : Department of Health News and Alerts". Australian Government Department of Health. 15 January 2021. Archived from the original on 14 April 2020.
  9. ^ New deputy chief medical officer for medical health (audio and text), Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (ABC Radio National, RN Breakfast), 19 May 2020, retrieved 12 June 2020
  10. ^ Halton, Jane (28 July 2003), Renal expert named new Chief Medical Officer for Australia, retrieved 12 June 2020
  11. ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation. News (28 August 2009), Chief Medical Officer says problems will be solved, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 12 June 2020
  12. ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Radio National (17 March 2011), Australia's Chief Medical Officer on Japan radiation risk, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 13 June 2020
  13. ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation. News (30 August 2011), Chief medical officer takes exception to avian flu warning, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 12 June 2020
  14. ^ McCauley, Dana (6 March 2020). "There's a reason Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy looks so tired". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  15. ^ Grattan, Michelle (7 April 2020). "Scott Morrison indicates 'eliminating' COVID-19 would come at too high a cost". The Conversation. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Major apology millions of Aussies deserve. Mounting evidence shows the vaccines were rushed, less effective than you’d expect of a jab and – in some cases – dangerous", news.com.au. Accessed 15 June 2024.
  17. ^ The Globe and Mail. Chief Public Health Officer. Accessed 29 June 2017.
  18. ^ Britneff, Beatrice (26 June 2017). "Politicos on the move: Feds appoint new chief public health officer". iPolitics.
  19. ^ "Department of Health and Children appoints new Chief Medical Officer". Department of Health. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original on 20 December 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  20. ^ "Chief Medical Officer (CMO)". Scottish Government. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  21. ^ "Chief professional officers". Department of Health (UK). Archived from the original on 7 January 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  22. ^ MacAulay M, Macintyre AK, Yashadhana A, et al. (January 2022). "Under the spotlight: understanding the role of the Chief Medical Officer in a pandemic". Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 76 (1): 100–104. doi:10.1136/jech-2021-216850. PMC 8666819. PMID 34407995. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  23. ^ (ASPA), Digital Communications Division (DCD), Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (2008-10-24). "OASH Organization Chart". HHS.gov. Retrieved 2018-11-19.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ 42 U.S.C. § 205 - Appointment and tenure of office of Surgeon General; reversion in rank.
  25. ^ 42 U.S.C. § 207 - Grades, ranks, and titles of commissioned corps.
  26. ^ "Public Health, Commissioned Corps Uniforms and Ranks". Archived from the original on 2008-05-13.
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